(1 Thess. 5:4, 5) In the opening verses of the fifth chapter, Paul addresses the condition of those who, for whatever reason, are not prepared. The Thessalonians already know that the reality of the Second Coming is certain; only the timing is unknown. The surprise will be tragic for those who are not ready. Some are … Continue reading –>
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 and Acts 1:6,7. What is the meaning of “the times and the seasons” (NKJV) in these texts? “The day of the Lord” is a phrase found frequently in Old Testament judgment passages. It describes a decisive, “end-time” intervention by God, with a strong emphasis on the negative consequences of disobedience (Isa. 13:6-9, Jer. 46:10, Ezek. 30:2-12). In our passage for today, … Continue reading –>
Read Genesis 3:15-24. List the various ways that God judged Adam and Eve both positively and negatively in this passage. Though the specific word judgment does not occur in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, the passage is very much concerned with it. Paul wants the believers in Thessalonica to be aware that God’s judgment is not limited to something that happens … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: 1 Thess. 5:1-11, Gen. 3:15-24, Isa. 13:6-9, Luke 21:34-36, Rom. 1:18. Memory Text: “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation” (1 Thessalonians 5:8, ESV). Key Thought: The reality of Christ’s return calls us to continual readiness. In … Continue reading –>
“Many interpret this passage [1 Thess. 4:14] to mean that the sleeping ones will be brought with Christ from heaven; but Paul meant that as Christ was raised from the dead, so God will call the sleeping saints from their graves and take them with Him to heaven.”-Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 259. “The Thessalonians … Continue reading –>
“You are going to do what?” demanded Mitalyn’s husband. “I’m going to become an Adventist,” she said as firmly as she could. Mitalyn knew that her husband, her neighbors, and almost everyone she knew would object to her decision. But she couldn’t wait any longer. Mitalyn had grown up believing that Adventists were bad people … Continue reading –>
I recently met a woman whose husband died suddenly and tragically less than a year ago. They had been together over forty years and had been high school sweethearts. She has the most amazing attitude. Yes she misses him terribly, but she knows that she will see her husband again. In fact, they had promised … Continue reading –>
What does it mean to “live like an Adventist?” Here is what inspiration tells us about this name. “No name which we can take will be appropriate but that which accords with our profession and expresses our faith and marks us a peculiar people. The name Seventh-day Adventist is a standing rebuke to the Protestant … Continue reading –>
The death of infants and children seems terrible because the precious ones are gone without having lived a life for Jesus. And, of course, the death of parents and hard-working adults who are giving family members a livelihood and taking care of others are heroes we don’t want to lose. But as we age, the death of … Continue reading –>
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 17, 18. What is the ultimate purpose of this passage about the second coming of Jesus? As we said earlier, the purpose of prophecy is not to satisfy our curiosity about the future but to teach us how to live today. For Paul, the order of final events has practical implications for everyday Christian … Continue reading –>
